O.K., truth be told about yesterday's wonderful walk, we wanted to take the 6.5 km shortcut but missed it walking in the dark. Destiny took a hand and guided us on the "true" path.
Anna from Portland, Oregon jogs a couple of miles every evening, I guess she just isn't getting enough exercise on the Camino each day.
STAGE 29
Sarria to Portomarín
22.9 km/14.2 miles
Time Walked, 5:38
Total Distance Walked, 703.3 km/437.0 miles
Total Time Walked, 170:29
29 Nights in Albergues, 172 Euros
Distance to Santiago de Compostela
95.3 km/59.2 miles
Yet another great night of sleep, for the second straight morning I slept through my alarm.
Everyone walked today but in small groups. I walked all day with Ste. Julie and Ste. Jillian and we scooted out the door at 7:11 a.m. for what was to be a relatively easy day for us.
Our only drawback was a light drizzle the first two hours which was bothersome but not devastating except for the moment we were walking in the dark under another canopy of trees by a railroad track. A runaway freight highballed it past us, shaking every drop of water out of the trees in it's wake creating a ten second downpour of biblical proportions! You had to laugh.
I saw my first donkey on the Camino today. It was very stoic until Ste. Jillian yelled "ON TO SANTIAGO!" The donkey then brayed as loud as possible for about 15 seconds. Again, we were able to laugh at life on the Camino.
Big doings today at the 100 km to Santiago de Compostela marker on the Camino. Lots of posing for pictures as we entered the homestretch.
This marker is also a sore spot for us. You see, the rules of the Camino state that you can earn your Compostela, the certificate of completion of the Camino, if you can prove through the sellos, stamps, on your pilgrim's credential that you walked/biked/rode a horse these last 100 kms. It doesn't seem quite fair but those are the rules.
Thus we are seeing all sorts of new faces on the Camino. The newbies are easy to spot, they are taking photos of everything, have new shoes and are fresh and peppy. A bus load of 23 Koreans started their Camino today in Sarria and I'm happy to report that about a third of them look like death warmed over after just one day.
YAHOO!!!
Now we have to get a minimum of two sellos per day these last 100 kms to further prove somehow that we are actually not cheating to get a Compostela. Also, albergue prices are going up due to simple supply and demand economics.
DAMN!
Still, we are comfortably esconced in Portomarín, population 2,000. I feel really strong and upbeat mostly because I'm traveling with great people indeed.
Remember, you are who you hang with.
The Gallego dialect that is so prevalent in Galicia only allows me to understand about 2/3rds of what is being said but that is still enough to communicate with the Gallegos.
I am continuing my search in Galicia for the perfect croqueta. Portomarín has given me a strong contender at lunch but further research is, of course, a must.
Vamos Bien y Con Muchos Animos!!!
BUEN CAMINO!!!
3 comments:
Research....Indeed!!!!!
Now the truth comes out--you MISSED the shortcut! I believe the spirit of Robert Frost must be travelling with you.
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
So true Fitz, so true. . .
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